Bit by bit, the Eastland Mall in Charlotte, N.C., is coming down.

The City of Charlotte awarded the contract for the demolition to Environmental Holdings Group (EHG) LLC. According to Victor Wilson, Charlotte branch manger of EHG, work began in mid-September, and the company has six months to complete the $875,000 project.

The senior project manager of the mall project is Mike Craddock, and the senior site superintendent is Scott Donohoe. Both have 25 years or more in the demolition and abatement industries.

The contract calls for the abatement of non-friable asbestos-containing materials and mold remediation, the installation and maintenance of erosion control and water run-off control operations and the demolition and removal of the mall, including the four anchor stores, out buildings and Firestone and Hollywood Video. The facility covers a total of 1.2 million sq. ft. (1,003,000 sq m)

Wilson noted that the recycling goal is about 80 percent, with 11,000 tons (9,979 t) of steel set to be recycled.

In addition, EHG will crush and backfill the below grade ice rink area with rubble (inert materials) to the adjacent grade, plus or minus about 30,000 tons (27,215 t) of CMU and concrete from the wrecking operations.

“One of the challenges to this job is that there are no as-built drawings for the project,” Wilson said. “Another will be meeting the schedule of six months with regard to local traffic and upcoming winter conditions.”

That being said, the project has been a unique one for Wilson.

“I’ve been associated with major demolition projects over the past 35 years from New York City to the Bahamas, and I have never experienced the excitement and passion by the locals as the ones here in Charlotte regarding the Eastland Mall,” Wilson said. “We at EHG are proud to be part of this project. It’s a major event here in Charlotte.”

Subcontractors for the project include a local plumber for disconnects and capping ops; a local security guard company; TWD Trucking, a local hauler; and Novent Refrigerant Recovery from Florida for the recycling of the HVAC refrigerants.

According to Wilson, all the heavy wrecking equipment is from Linder Equipment, and the small equipment is from Sunbelt. The track loader is from May Equipment.

Equipment currently on site from Linder includes a Komatsu PC 490 excavator with shear; a PC 360 excavator with shear; and two PC 360 excavators with grapples. EHG-owned equipment is a Hitachi 300 excavator with bucket and thumb. A Caterpillar 953 track loader is from May Equipment. From Sunbelt Rentals, the list includes a telescopic forklift with a 10,000-lb. (4,535.9 kg) rating, and six Bobcat skid steers with grapple attachments. EHG is using three of its stinger attachments.

“As the project progresses, we will be adding to this arsenal with additional pieces of heavy wrecking equipment from Linder Equipment,” Wilson said.

The Eastland Mall opened in 1975. At that time, it was the largest mall in North Carolina. It ceased operations in June 2010.

EHG provides ACM abatement, mold remediation, selective demolition, structural demolition and implosion preparations. Offices are located in Raleigh, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta Ga. The company covers most of the southeastern United States.

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